Senior Lecturer
Development Studies Programme
School of Government, Development and International Affairs
Faculty of Business and Economics
The University of the South Pacific
Laucala Bay Campus
Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji Islands
Tel (679) 323 2537
Fax (679) 323 1523
Email: mohanty_m(at)usp.ac.fj
Manoranjan Mohanty is a human and development geographer. He joined the Centre for Development Studies at the University of the South Pacific in 1999. He is working as a Senior Lecturer at the Centre. He has a B Sc. (Hons.) with Distinction and he holds Masters and Doctoral Degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India. Previously, he was engaged in research and tertiary level teaching at Political Geography Division, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1988-1998). He also taught geography of tourism for six years as a Guest Lecturer at the Institute of Travel and Tourism Management under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, New Delhi leading to a Diploma in Tourism and Travel Management.
Dr. Mohanty has obtained first class throughout his academic career and he had also taken university positions at under-graduation and post-graduation level. He had qualified All India National Entrance Test (NET) in Geography under the aegis of the University Grants Commission (UGC), India. He was a recipient of a National Research Associateship. He has also obtained a Diploma in Management (Personnel) from Delhi Institute of Management and Services, New Delhi, India.
Dr. Mohanty has a wide range of specialism and area of interests including urban development, international migration, NGOs, civil society and contemporary development issues. He has an understanding of development in practice through interaction with the development practitioners including public, private and NGOs. He provided consultancy to a leading National umbrella NGO, the Voluntary Action Network-India based at New Delhi and he was a Chief Consultant for its major UK-CAF project on 'Dynamics of Voluntarism in India' (1997-98). He coordinated a European Union (EU) study which was completed jointly with Prof. Vijay Naidu and Ms. Raicebe Tagutu on ‘NGO Mapping Study in Fiji’ in 2007.
Dr. Mohanty has participated in many international conferences, workshops and symposia. He has publication of several books, monographs, mimeographs and research papers. He did participate and contribute a paper to India’s Urban policy relevant Symposium in 1987, jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Urban Development, India, Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and the proceedings were published in a book entitled, ‘India’s Urban Land Policy and Development Finance’. Dr. Mohanty has five books to his credit. He has an understanding of international development aid and cooperation through international agencies: bilateral and multilateral, and the NGOs especially with developing countries and he has published a book entitled, Foreign Aid and NGOs. The foreword of the book was given by Mr. Hans-C. von Sponeck, the former UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator based at New Delhi, India. His other relevant publication include: Voluntarism and Government: Policy, Programme and Assistance which was sponsored by the Planning Commission of India, New Delhi and A Handbook of Non-state Actors (NGOs and CSOs) in Fiji.
Dr. Mohanty has interest towards development theories and policies. He focuses on the processes, linkages and patterns of change and development in its social, economic, political and environmental aspects from an interdisciplinary perspective and at different level: local, national, regional and international. His research area focuses primarily on developing World and in particular, the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, his research focuses on the Pacific Island countries especially, Fiji.
Area of Research Interests
- Urbanisation & development
- NGOs, civil society and development
- International migration
- Aid and development
- Poverty & social development
- Population & development
- Tourism & development
- Environment and sustainable development
- Small Island Developing States
Postgraduate Teaching
- DG 415: Urbanisation, Development and Urban Planning
- DG 417: NGOs, Civil Society and Development
- DG 414: Special Topic: Environment Change and Green Development
- DG 420: Regionalism and Policy Development (sharing 2 weeks Lecture)
Thesis Supervision
Dr. Mohanty has been supervising several Master and Ph. D students for their theses. Many students have successfully completed theses and awarded their Master Degrees under his supervision.
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